• साहसी नागरिक
  • 4 years ago
  • 3101 दर्शनों की संख्या

Wrong Parking and loss to Govt of India

Reported on December 30, 2019 from Bangalore , Karnataka  ι Report #218644

It was around 3:30pm since I parked my scooter in front of a super market (Four Points Electronic City Phase - I). Along with my vehicle, there were many other vehicles parked. 5 minutes later, when I came out, noticed that only my scooter went missing. Then when I inquired the petty shops nearby, I learnt that my vehicle was towed and taken away for wrong parking by traffic police officials. Then I headed towards Electronic city traffic police station to claim my vehicle, where I had been informed to pay a sum of Rs.1650 for the Wrong parking + towing charge + Govt charge. Initially I argued that there was no traffic sign board of no parking placed anywhere nearby. The officials at the police station not dressed in proper uniform did not agree to our argument and demanded to pay the sum and leave without any arguments. We stayed stranded there asking for an excuse. Later, an official empathizing our situation came down asking us just to pay the spot fine excluding towing+govt charge (Rs.1000) and get the bill and leave. Later, we gave him Rs.1000 and asked for a bill. After placing Rs.1000 in his pocket, the official asked us to leave without providing any bill. When we asked for the same, he asked us to pay the total sum of Rs.1650 and get the bill. Later, I gave a additional amount of Rs. 700 and claimed for the bill. But then, the honest police officer discounted me additional Rs.200 and took Rs. 800 with him and asked me to leave the place. But then,I stood there insisting for a bill. Frustrated with me, he took me to another police officer who charges the bill. Now this amount of Rs.1650, did not enter his pocket. Instead it entered wallet of govt. of India. Wherein, to return Rs. 50 back, he took hefty penny of 500 denominations from his pocket (Here, it self implies all the amount withdrawn from his pocket should be traffic fines collected without bill and the same is being shared by the officials who is in charge on duty around that time). Here, please be noted that there are too many violations done by the traffic officials to the normal civilians like me,
1. Not all the vehicles parked along with me were taken.
2. There was no traffic sign board of no parking around that place.
3. An effort by official to take bribe from me was made when there was no actual traffic violation done by me.
4. Hefty penny had already been bribed from many ordinary citizens by the officials.

5. The above routine happens every day, minimum 5 times on the roads of Neeladri.(Being a usual resident of Neeladri nagar, I am aware of how many times the towing vehicle patrols).

Calculations:

Assuming per day a minimum of Rs. 800 is being taken by officials from one vehicle. Per round of patrolling yields minimum of 10 vehicles and 5 times of it per day makes it to 50 vehicles per day and the minimum cost per vehicle yields 50x800 = 40000 per day for all the legitimate violations. In turn, a turn over of 40,000 x 30 = Rs. 12,00,000 gain for the officials involved in corrupt practices and a loss of minimum 50 x 1650 = 82,500 per day and corresponding monthly loss of 82,500 x 30 = Rs. 24,75,000 to the government just from one branch.

I am sharing the above incident, thinking it would reach the anti-corruption team somehow, in order to take appropriate action against the Electronic city traffic patrolling officials who indulge in these kind of corrupt practices and hoping to let some relief happen to the ordinary citizens of the country in the near future.

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